How does rental car insurance offered by credit card companies (when you use the card) work?
I have credit cards which say they cover me for rental car insurance when I use the card to make the full payment for the rental. How does that work? Are there any catches? Does it make sense for me to get the additional insurance from the rental agency (like Avis)? If I am in an accident, will the Credit Card insurance cover everything or will it also be charged to my regular car insurance company?
Every card is different, and the card companies can change their insurance carriers without notice. Most of them give collision damage waiver only. If you have an accident, they will cover repairs over and above the rental company insurance, but they do not cover the cost of a replacement rental for you to drive. Very few of them cover liability. The most complete coverage may be offered by your insurance company, for a lower fee than the waivers offered by the rental companies. In Manitoba, for instance, we sell (to Manitobans) a rental car policy that gives $50 deductible for damage, loss of use coverage, and 5 million dollars liability coverage, and this package can be bought to cover a rented car anywhere in Canada or the US. So, before you rely on your credit card, read the wordings booklet, then talk to you auto insurance agent.